A three-day operation in Westchester County, New York, has resulted in dozens of missing children and teens being found, according to the state Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS).

The DCJS stated on February 13 that 43 missing children and teens had been found thanks to an operation that brought together more than 70 local, state, and federal agencies, nonprofit organizations, and private partners to provide investigative support to police departments across the country.

On February 16, the division issued an update stating that three more children and teens had been found.

The Context

The National Child Protection Task Force (NCPTF) said that Amber alerts are only issued for less than 1 percent of missing children. In order for an alert to be issued, there must be a reasonable belief by law enforcement that an abduction has occurred, or that the child is in imminent danger of serious bodily injury or death.

This means that for a lot of missing child cases where the child has left home voluntarily, and is therefore classified as a runaway, Amber alerts aren’t typically issued, reducing public awareness about the high number of children missing each year, NCPTF reported.

In New York in 2025, 10,629 children under 18 were reported missing to police, 94 percent of whom were classified as runaways. By the end of the year, 10,672 cases were closed, and 1,079 remained active, DCJS said.

However, NCPTF emphasized that even if a child has left home voluntarily and gone missing, making them a runaway, they are still “endangered.” One in seven children who are reported missing as runaways are believed to be likely victims of child sex trafficking, according to National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) data.

What To Know

The 43 children and teens were aged between 8 and 17 at the time they were reported as missing, DCJS said.

DCJS said its Missing Persons Clearinghouse coordinated the Westchester operation in partnership with the New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) and the NCPTF.

The division said the participating groups reviewed case notes, pursued new leads, and used technology to trace digital footprints, while private-sector partners expedited critical support requests to help locate endangered children.

During the investigation, around 100 people packed into an event space in Mount Kisco, where state officials and NCPTF volunteers coordinated investigative and support services, Spectrum News 1 reported.

This is the third operation spearheaded by the staff of the DCJS Missing Persons Clearinghouse and the NCPTF. The first operation in Erie County resulted in locating 47 children reported missing to police departments in Buffalo and Amherst, while the second in the Capital Region resulted in locating 71 children reported missing to police departments in Albany, Schenectady, and Troy.

What People Are Saying

National Child Protection Task Force Co-Founder and CEO Kevin Branzetti said: “These outcomes reflect what’s possible when law enforcement, child-protection professionals, and technology partners work side by side with a shared commitment to protecting vulnerable youth. Many people don’t realize that children who run away are among the most vulnerable to trafficking and exploitation, which makes urgency and coordination essential. These aren’t statistics — they are OUR children.”

New York State Office of Children and Family Services Commissioner Dr. DaMia Harris-Madden said: “Witnessing the third iteration of the New York State Missing Child Operation (MCO) today was an intense and purposeful reminder of what true collaboration looks like. Each action of the professionals involved appeared to be driven by the shared urgency to save and protect children from harm. I am extremely prideful and grateful for OCFS’ partnership with the NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services and the National Child Protection Task Force who together with local, state, and national partners, located and offered support services to over 80 missing young people.”

New York State Police Superintendent Steven James said: “Sometimes, the unthinkable happens and a child goes missing, placing them in the worst of situations. Although investigations of missing and exploited children are difficult, acts that threaten the well-being of children are unconscionable. Interagency operations such as this are crucial, and we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to safeguard the children of New York.”

Westchester County District Attorney Susan Cacace said: “As chief law enforcement officer in Westchester County, the plight of missing and exploited children has always been a top priority for me. Efforts like this week’s operation help bring theoretical leads into the realm of the practical, giving our investigative partners the resources and expertise needed to solve their most challenging cases. Thanks to these collaborations, we are able to work together to more effectively protect children from harm and reunite them with their families and loved ones. I’m so proud of the work we are doing with our local and state government partners to keep children safe and look forward to working with them on future operations.”

City of Mount Vernon Police Chief Marcel Olifiers said: “We were proud to take part in this operation and to help locate missing children from our community. This effort shows the real impact of agencies working together to protect young people and support families.”

Town of Mt. Pleasant Police Chief Paul Oliva said: “I am proud of the work that the team is doing to conduct such organized and focused work to find these at-risk youth.”

Yonkers Police Commissioner Christopher Sapienza said: “The Yonkers Police Department is honored to have been part of this operation, which proved the power of concentrated, coordinated law enforcement efforts. By bringing together local, state, and federal partners with a singular focus, we were able to locate vulnerable children and teens who may have been at serious risk. This outcome underscores why missing-person investigations must remain a top priority. When agencies work side by side with purpose, lives are protected.”

What Happens Next

Officials advocated for more collaborative operations involving other missing-person reports to locate as many missing children and teens as possible.

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